If you are a student looking for fast ways of learning, then trust me; you are not the only one! Almost all students are dying to know about such ways! But guess what? We have a fantastic technique for you that helps in fast learning. Yes, The Feynman Technique!
The Feynman Technique was introduced by Richard Feynman, a noble prize-winning physicist. He was also known as a superhero with a superpower. Do you want to know how? Because he could explain complex and challenging concepts in simple and super easy ways!
He understood that the constant use of difficult words, jargon, and complex terms is why students find learning hard. He was also named "the great explainer" in his life. His invention of the Feynman Technique was indeed his best contribution to society, especially for students! It doesn't matter if you are a student, parent, or tutor; this technique will always be helpful!
The Feynman technique is one of the most effective and fast techniques to learn anything. This technique includes 4 steps:
"In order to really understand something well, you must be able to explain or teach it to a child."
In short, according to Feynman, teaching a concept to someone is the best way to learn. He said when you start explaining the concept to someone, that is when you realise your own understanding. You can pinpoint your problem areas and your clear parts too!
Still not getting a hand of Feynman Technique? Don't worry; the steps and process of the technique below will make you understand everything. Keep Reading!
The first step in the Feynman Learning Technique is to obviously identify the topic. Think about the topic or concept that you find difficult and want to improve. Here, you will need to narrow down your options and think of a topic you struggle with. Let's say, for example, Heredity & Evolution.
Once you identify the topic, you need to write down everything you know about the concept before moving to step 2. Apart from what you already know, write down your weak point and concepts as well. This way, you will see what you need to work on more and first.
Remember the main concept behind the Feynman Learning Technique? To understand and learn something well, you should be able to teach it to a child! That is precisely what we need to do in the second step! Here we don't mean you need to find an actual child. No, not at all! You can find and explain it to someone else too but in the simplest way possible!
Yes, make sure that you are explaining in a way like you are talking to a 6th or 7th grader. You will need to use a straightforward, jargon-free, and human-ly language (no complex words). That is not a problem if you don't have anyone to explain it to. You can even talk and explain to yourself, but pretend like you are talking to a child.
Think like a child, give examples, and trust me, you will notice how quickly you will grasp the concept and topic! Explaining is a sure way that you will remember things
After you explain the topic to a child, someone else, or even yourself, you will need to review your explanation. You can do this by asking yourself a few questions like:
The final step in the Feynman Learning Technique is to simplify and refine. Wait, let us simplify this step for you too! This step needs you to understand the gaps and problems in your learning you identified in step 3.
If you think that you need to work on your concepts and knowledge about a specific topic, you need to re-learn, fill all the necessary gaps, and clear your concepts first. Start studying the topic with new perspectives and analogies.
Once you feel like you have understood the concept, go back to Step 2 and do it all over again. Explain the concepts in a way you are talking with a child, and keep repeating them until you fully grasp the topic. Remember, Step 2 is the most important part of this technique.
I think it is pretty obvious up till now, but we don't mind repeating it. Yes, Feynman Technique is genuinely the best and most fantastic way to learn! It is simple, quick, and easily understandable. The thing we love about this technique is that it not only works on your understanding but your memory too!
I hope you found this blog helpful and interesting, and thanks for reading! Also, we are ending this post with some inspirational and motivating quotes by Richard Feynman. Enjoy!
"Study hard what interests you the most in the most undisciplined, irreverent and original manner possible."
"I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned."
"You can know the name of a bird in all the languages of the world, but when you're finished, you'll know absolutely nothing whatever about the bird… So let's look at the bird and see what it's doing — that's what counts. I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something."
"Fall in love with some activity, and do it! Nobody ever figures out what life is all about, and it doesn't matter. Explore the world. Nearly everything is really interesting if you go into it deeply enough. Work as hard and as much as you want to on the things you like to do the best. Don't think about what you want to be, but what you want to do. Keep up some kind of a minimum with other things so that society doesn't stop you from doing anything at all."
